Venting device



Oct. 12, 1954 c. LlsclANl VENTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 18, 1951 Patented Oct. 12, 1954 VENTING DEVICE Constantine Lisciani, Chicago, Ill., assigner to The Protectoseal Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 18, 1951, Serial No. 206,633

3 Claims. l

The present invention relates to a venting device for use on containers of hazardous liquids. More particularly, the invention relates to a hazardous liquid container venting device which will operate properly under all kinds of weather conditions.

Considerable trouble has been experienced with known venting devices used on containers of hazardous liquids due to freezing up of the critical parts of the device. This is particularly true of venting devices of the conservation type having pressure and vacuum relief valves wherein the multiple valve members become frozen to their respective seats. Another particular source of trouble in such devices arises due to freezing over or clogging up of the foraminations in the iiame arrester screen generally incorporated in such venting devices.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an all-Weather venting device for use on containers of hazardous liquids.

Another object of the invention is to provide a venting device having means for applying heat to the critical working parts thereof to prevent the same from freezing up, the said means being so designed as not to impair the normal functioning of the device, and being adapted to be easily installed and removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a venting device having means for maintaining the device in working order during the winter months and which is relatively cheap to manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a conservation venting device having a novel valve seat and cooperating sealing gasket structure which reduce the cost of construction of the venting device, and which facilitate maintenance of the device in operating condition, particularly during the winter months.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a conservation venting device including a casing dening a chamber and having a port therein for providing a passageway between said chamber and a storage container for hazardous liquids. The port has a raised rim portion formed around its periphery, and a substantially U- shaped gasket is fitted over the raised rim portion. Seated on the gasketed rim portion is a movable valve member for closing the port. Also connected to the chamber is a conduit communieating with the atmosphere, and a name arrester screen is positioned in the conduit so as to isolate the interior of the chamber from the atmosphere. Physically disposed adjacent the raised rim portion of the port, and adjacent the name arrester screen in the conduit, are heating coil portions of a heating unit designed to be positioned within the chamber of the venting device so as not to impair the flow of gases therethrough.

Other objects, features, and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be appreciated readily as the same becomes understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein similar parts in each of the several figures are designated by the same reference numeral, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a venting device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the venting device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a heating unit incorporated in the venting devices illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, cross sectional view of a novel valve seat and cooperating sealing gasket structure embodied in the venting device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the conservation venting device, which is similar in many respects to the device disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,151,180 to R. J. Anschicks, issued March 21, 1939, includes an outer casing II having a passageway I2 formed in its under portion. Supported within the outer casing H, and spaced therefrom by means of braces I3, is an inner casing I4 which, together with outer casing II, defines a first chamber l5 adapted to be connected to a container for hazardous liquids through the passageway I2. Inner casing I4 also defines a second chamber It, which communicates with the atmosphere through a conduit indicated at I1. Positioned over the outlet end of the conduit I'l is a flame arrester screen structure I8, which is identical in construction to the flame arrester structure described in the above identied United States patent, and which serves to isolate the second chamber I6 from the atmosphere in that it prevents the passage of flames therethrough to the interior of second chamber I6.

Inner casing I 4 has a lower port 2| formed therein adapted to interconnect inner chamber I6 with outer chamber I5, and has a raised rim portion 22 formed around its periphery. As is best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, rim portion 22 has a substantially U-shaped gasket 23 fitted thereover to form a valve seat. Positioned on the gasketed valve seat 22 and 23 is a first movable valve member 24 having a valve stem 25 projecting upwardly into, and guided by a sleeve 2S. Sleeve 26 is fixed to a second movable valve member 21 seated on a second valve seat formed by a raised rim portion 28 having a substantially U-shaped gasketl '2'9 fitted thereover. Raised rim portion 2S 'and U/-shap'ed gasket 29 are identical in construction to the raised rim` portion 22 and gasket 23 of lower port 2 l, and are disposed about the periphery of an upper port, indicated at 3l, also interconnecting inner chamber l with outer chamber I5. By reason of this construction, the lower valve member 24 acts as 'a pressure relief valve, and upper valve member 21 acts as a vacuum relief valve in the well-known manner. Upon pressure being built up in a container upon which the device is mounted due to the accumulation of gases therein. Valve member 24 is lifted off of the seat formed by the raised rim portion 22 and gasket `23, allowing the gases to escape into second chamber I6, and subsequently out into the atmosphere through flame arrester screen I8. Should the pressure of gases in the container decrease below atmospheric pressure due to rapid emptying of the contents of the tank, atmospheric pressure transmitted through conduit i1 and second chamber I6 acts on second movable valve member 21 to cause the same to be lifted off its respective seat 28 and 29, allowing air to be forced into chamber l5, and consequently the container.

From the above description it is believed apparent that the venting device would not operate properly should either pressure relief valve 24 or vacuum relief valve 21 become frozen to their respective seats, or should the grid openings or forarninations in the flame arrester screen become frozen over and clogged with ice. To prevent this from happening, means are provided for heating these particular parts of the venting device.

The heating means comprise a unitary, coiled, tubular member 32 having the coils thereof physically disposed adjacent the rim portions 22 and 29 of the lower and'upper ports, respectively, and adjacent the naine arrester screen i8. As is best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the tubular heating member 32 includes an inlet end 33 connected to one end of a first U-shaped heat exchanger portion 34 adapted to be positioned adjacent one-half of flame arrester screen IS, and terminating in a first circular-shaped heat exchanger portion 35. First ycircular-shaped portion 35 is adapted to be mounted adjacent raised rim portion 29 of upper port 3l, and terminates in a second U-shaped heat exchanger portion 36 adapted to be mounted adjacent the remaining half of flame arrester screen i8. Second U- shaped heat exchanger portion 3G terminates in a second circular-shaped heat exchanger portion 31, and as is best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing, in conjunction with first U- shaped heat exchanger portion 33 forms an oval heat exchanger. 'This heat exchanger when spaced adjacent flame arrester screen i8, extends over substantially the entire face of the fiame arrester screen, and results in effecting a maximum transfer of heat to the screen. Second circular-shaped heat exchanger portion 31 is adapted to be mounted adjacent the raised rim portion 22 of lower port 2l, and terminates in an outlet portion 38 adapted to be connected to exhaust tubing.

When manufacturing the venting device comprising the invention, the venting device proper is constructed separately from the heating unit 32, and the heating unit subsequently mounted therein. Because of its design, the heating unit can be easily mounted within chamber I6 of the venting device so as to facilitate assembly of the two members; also, if desired, the design of the heating unit is such that it may be installed in the venting device proper only during the winter months, and removed during the hot summer months so as to utilize to the maximum the gas handling capacity of the device. In order to mount the heating unit within the venting device proper, a baffle 38 positioned over flame arrester screen i8, and flame arrester screen I8 are first removed. The heating unit 32 may then be inserted within second chamber I6 through conduit l1, and the input end 33 and output end 38 of the unit connected to a supply line 4l and an exhaust line 42, respectively, by means of a threaded coupling, indicated at 43 provided in the venting device proper. After inserting the heating unit 32 within chamber i6, the coils thereof may be properly positioned in order to effect a maximum transfer of heat to the various portions of the device by removing a top plate 44 mounted on outer casing ii by means of a plurality of dogs 45. Having removed the top plate 44, the vacuum relief valve member 21 may be lifted off of its seat to provide access to the second chamber i5. Having assembled the heating unit 32 within the venting device proper, the device can then be used under all kinds of weather conditions. Should the foraminations or openings Vof the screen I8 tend to clog up due to freezing over, heat may be supplied through the heating unit so' as to prevent such clogging up. Because the U-shaped heat exchanger portions 33 and 35 are positioned -immediately adjacent screen i8, a maximum amount of heat may be transferred thereto, and because of the small size of configuration of the two U- shaped heat exchanger portions, such heating may be obtained without substantially impairng the eective gas handling capacity of the flame arrester screen. Should either the vacuum relief valve member 21, or pressure relief valve member 24 tend to freeze to its respective seat, heat transmitted by the circular-shaped heat exchanger portions 32 and 36 will prevent sticking of these members. Because of the particular design of the valve seat formed by raised rim portion 22 and U-shaped gasket 23, a maximum amount of heat may be transmitted to the under, or that portion of the valve member where it is desirable that a maximum amount of heat be applied. This feature is obtained by reason of the fact that the valve member is raised a sufficient distance above the heating unit coils so as to expose that portion of the valve member to heat transmitted from the coil in the manner best seen in Fig. l of the drawings. Also, the particular valve seat and gasket arrangement greatly facilitates removal and replacement of the sealing gaskets. In view of the fact that extreme changes in temperature do occur within chamber I6 of the venting device, the material out vof which the gaskets are constructed is likely to deteriorate rapidly, thereby necessitating the removal of the gaskets rmore often than would be the case if such a heating unit were not provided. Consequently, the easy manner in which the gaskets may be removed and replaced on the raised rim portions 22 and 28 greatly facilitates maintenance of the venting devices.

1Erom the foregoing description, it can be appreciated that the invention provides a novel venting device for use on containers of hazardous liquids which will operate properly under all weather conditions. The device incorporates a means for applying heat to the critical working parts thereof, which means is so designed as not to impair the normal functioning of the device, and is relatively cheap to construct and maintain. Further, the invention provides a novel gasket construction which is simple to manufacture, and facilitates maintenance of the venting device upon which it is used.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A venting device including in combination an outer casing having a passageway formed therein, an inner casing supported within said outer casing, said outer and inner casing defining a first chamber adapted for connection to a storage container for hazardous liquids through the passageway in said outer casing, said inner casing having a pair of ports therein for connecting a second chamber defined by said second casing to said rst chamber, a conduit connecting said second chamber to the atmosphere, a flame arrester screen disposed in said conduit and isolating said second chamber from the atmosphere, a movable valve member seated on each of said ports, said ports having a raised rim portion around thev periphery thereof, a removable substantially U-shaped gasket fitted over said rim portion to form a seat for said valve member, said gasket cooperating with the respective valve member thereof to form a gastight closure for said ports, a heating unit disposed within said second chamber comprising a coiled tubular member including circular-shaped heat exchanger portions and U-shaped heat exchanger portions and shaped to have the circular-shaped heat exchanger portions thereof physically disposed adjacent the rim portions of each of said ports and the U-shaped heat exchanger portions adjacent the rear face of said ame arrester screen, said circular-shaped heat exchanger portions formed for insertion through the conduit into the second chamber, and said U-shaped heat exchange portions formed for insertion Within the open end of the conduit contiguous to the rear face of the flame arrester.

2. A venting device including in combination an outer casing having a passageway formed therein, an inner casing supported within said outer casing, said outer and inner casing defining a rst chamber adapted for connection to a storage container for hazardous liquids through the passageway in said rst casing, said second casing having an upper and a lower port therein for connecting a second chamber defined by said second casing to said first chamber, a conduit connecting said second chamber to the atmosphere, a flame arrester screen disposed in said conduit and isolating said second chamber from the atmosphere, a reciprocally movable valve member seated on each of said ports, said ports having a raised rim portion around the periphery thereof, a removable substantially U-shaped gasket fitted over said rim portion and cooperable with the respective valve member thereof to form a gas-tight seal, and a heating unit disposed within said second chamber comprising an integral tubular member formed to provide a rst U-shaped heat eX- changer portion adapted to be mounted adjacent said flame arrester screen and terminating in a first circular-shaped heat exchanger portion, said rst circular-shaped portion being adapted to be mounted around the periphery of said upper port and terminating in a second U- shaped heat exchanger portion, said second U- shaped portion being adapted to be mounted adjacent said fiame arrester screen in a position oppositely disposed from said rst U-shaped portion and terminating in a second circular-shaped heat exchanger portion, said second circularshaped portion being mounted around the periphery of said lower port.

3. A flame arrester device including in combination a conduit, a detachable flame arrester screen disposed Within said conduit and a heating unit comprising a coiled tubular member comprising oppositely arranged U-shaped portions, said U-shaped portions adapted for disposal adjacent to and abuttingr the rear of said flame arrester screen, and said heating unit arranged in heat transfer relationship with the ame arrester screen to prevent the passages in said ame arrester screen from freezing over;

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSy Number Name Date 1,538,108 Hagey May 19, 1925 1,540,380 Wilson June 2, 1925 1,628,199 Schmidt et al May`10, 1927 2,151,180 Anschicks Mar. 21, 1939 2,262,224 Daniels Nov. 11, 1941 2,505,613 Farris Apr. 25, 1950 

